Flights of Fancy
by hhooppyy
Summary: "What would Walter first buy for his first grandchild?"


A/N: As requested by Cantarina1 (on livejournal), a story based on my response to the question: "What would Walter first buy for his first grandchild?".

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><p>Running through the halls, Peter burst through doors—scaring people as he rushed past—anxiously turning his head to look into every room that he passed, trying to find Olivia, his wife. <em>Why did this have to happen today of all days? Why did this have to happen the one day I wasn't around?<em> After what seemed like an eternity, Peter finally found the room that held his wife and was stopped cold by the sight before him—his wife lying on a hospital bed.

As he stood there motionless, staring, it was as if Olivia sensed his presence as she looked up and let her eyes meet his—a large smile overtaking her tired face.

"Liv. I'm so sorry I wasn't here. You know I wanted to be here, more than anything, but work happened. I'm so, so sorry."

"Peter. You don't have to explain to me. I get it. I know you know that. I also know that if it had been your choice you would have been here with me in a heartbeat. But, you're here now and that's all that matters."

Still in awe at what he was seeing, Peter continued to stand motionless in the doorway as if moving would cause the sight to fade away.

"Well, don't just stand there, dad. Come over here and meet your son—Alexander Noel Bishop."

Not needing any further encouragement, Peter rushed over and sat down on the bed next to her. Reaching out a finger, he gently brushed it over his son's face and smiled at the little bundle of innocence and joy cuddled in his wife's arms. Tearing his gaze away from the little blue bundle, Peter looked back to Olivia and let out the biggest, most joyous smile he had ever smiled.

"He's perfect Liv. Can you believe he's ours? That we made such a perfect little person?"

Laughing gently at his statement, Olivia reached out a hand and grabbed his. "Yes, Peter. I can."

"Knock, knock."

Letting go of Peter's hand, Olivia looked up towards the door while Peter turned around to face it before suddenly standing up as if he had been shocked.

"Walter! I'm so sorry I left you like that. I completely forgot that I was your ride. When I heard that Olivia was in labour I just had to get here as fast as I could."

"It's okay, my boy. Asterisk came and got me. And, it gave me time to go back to the lab to grab this first." Holding up an impeccably wrapped package, he held it out to Peter. "Open it now. I want to see his face when he first sees it."

"Really Walter? He's just a newborn. He probably doesn't even know what is happening. Besides, he's asleep."

Visibly deflating at the thought, Walter walked closer to the bed as Peter sat back down. Looking down at the baby, Walter seemed to perk back up when the baby slowly opened his eyes and stuck out the tip of his little pink tongue.

"Look! He's awake. Can you please unwrap his present now?"

"Fine Walter, I will unwrap it. But remember what I said. He's just a baby."

Grabbing the gift from the bed beside him, Peter made quick work of the paper before opening the box and pulling the toy from inside.

"Walter?" Peter looked away from the toy and straight at Walter. "Is this—"

"Yes! Yes, it is. I built a scale model replica of the Glatterflug plane that brought you and Olivia together. Isn't it wonderful? I thought that maybe, when the child is older, the plane could be used as a prompt. It would make a lovely bedtime story. Don't you agree? Now show it to Alexander. I _have_ to see his reaction."

"Walter, it is amazing that I turned out as well as I did if you think that _that_ is a good bedtime story."

Not wishing to continue the conversation and to appease Walter, Peter held out the plane to his son.

"See? Nothing."

"Nothing? What are you talking about? Didn't you see that smile? He agrees with me."

Without saying anything more, Walter quickly turned and walked from the room, humming quietly as he went.

-o-O-o-

**4 Years Later**

"Xander! Alexander! Where are you?"

Walking down the hallways, picking up toys as she walked, Olivia wearily called out for her son. Not hearing a response, she started to worry and began moving a little faster until she finally heard it—a small voice coming from behind the closed door on her left.

Slowly pushing the door open, Olivia leaned against the door frame as she found her son sitting in a chair next to his baby sister's crib, holding the toy plane Walter had given him.

Holding the airplane against the bars of the crib, Xander leaned forward to stare at the little baby as she yawned and slowly opened her eyes.

"Hello baby Kath-er-ine. I'm Xander. I'm your BIG brothah and I am four years old. This is my plane. Grandpa Walter gave it to me when I was a baby like you. This plane is what brought mommy and daddy together—"

Feeling a pair of arms wrap around her waist and a warm kiss placed against her neck, Olivia momentarily lost track of her son's story.

"Watcha doing?"

Without saying a word, Olivia grabbed one of the hands that encircled her waist and brought it to her mouth and kissed it. Wrapping the hand with her own, Olivia brought it back to her waist before silently nodding towards the two kids. Pulling her a little tighter, Peter joined her in listening as the little boy told the baby girl the story of how their mommy and daddy met.


End file.
